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Bill · 119th Congress · HR 6719

James T. Woods Act

Refreshed 2 h ago

Introduced 2025-12-15Topic: criminal justice · technology privacy · public safety

Summary

Summary by the Congressional Research Service

James T. Woods Act This bill expands the federal framework for combating the online exploitation of children. Among its provisions, the bill establishes new criminal offenses, expands reporting requirements, and facilitates the prosecution and sentencing of offenders. TITLE I—SAFE ACT Sentencing Accountability For Exploitation Act or the SAFE Act This title directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements applicable to federal criminal offenses involving the production, receipt, transport, shipment, or distribution of child sexual abuse material to (1) account for the actual and potential harm from the offense and changes since the last amendments with respect to the typical offense behavior and modern technologies, and (2) better reflect the spectrum of offender culpability. TITLE II—ENDING COERCION OF CHILDREN AND HARM ONLINE Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act or the ECCHO Act This title establishes a federal framework to combat the online coercion of minors to commit harm. The title creates new criminal offenses, expands reporting of instances involving the online coercion of minors, facilitates the prosecution of offenders, and expands protections for minors who testify in court. TITLE III—STOP SEXTORTION Stop Sextortion Act This title criminalizes threats to distribute child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. This practice is commonly referred to as sextortion. The title also increases criminal penalties for related offenses that involve the use of child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

Action history

DateChamberActionStatus effect
2026-03-02SenatePlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 346.
2026-03-02SenateCommittee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.refer
2026-03-02Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.report
2026-02-26SenateCommittee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.refer
2026-01-13SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.refer
2026-01-12HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2026-01-12HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H628)
2026-01-12Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H628)floor pass
2026-01-12HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6719.
2026-01-12HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H628-630)
2026-01-12HouseMs. Lee (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2025-12-18HouseOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.refer
2025-12-18HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Heldrefer
2025-12-15HouseReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.refer
2025-12-15Introduced in Houseintroduce
2025-12-15Introduced in Houseintroduce
Source: GovInfo Bill Status (Library of Congress), fetched 2026-09-11. Provisions and opinion polling arrive in a later release.